Clinical Immunology

Protective Immunity against Infection with Mycoplasma haemofelis

Chelsea A. E. Hicks, Barbara Willi, Barbara Riond, Marilisa Novacco, Marina L. Meli, Christopher R. Stokes, Christopher R. Helps, Regina Hofmann-Lehmann, Séverine Tasker
M. F. Pasetti, Editor
DOI: 10.1128/CVI.00581-14

Article Figures & Data

Figures

  • FIG 1
    FIG 1

    M. haemofelis copy numbers per ml of blood and hematocrit results during this study for groups A (A) and B (B). M. haemofelis copy numbers are reported as log values. All cats in group A became M. haemofelis PCR positive after inoculation by 21 days p.i., whereas the cats in group B remained PCR negative for the vast majority of the time, with only rare very low positive values recorded. Clear cycling was observed in the cats in group A: e.g., cat HCC2 showed a 4-log increase from day 21 to day 24 p.i., followed by a 4-log decline from day 24 to day 28 p.i. Dashed lines indicate hematocrit values.

  • FIG 2
    FIG 2

    Percentage of change from preinoculation with B220+ (A), CD8+(B), CD4+ (C), CD5+ MHC-II+ (D), and CD4+ CD25+ (E) cells over the course of the experiment for groups A (■) and B (▲). Each value represents the mean result for the group, and error bars represent the standard error. Time point 0 represents the preinoculation value (mean from time points −14, −7, and 0). *, statistically significant difference between the two groups at PMWU < 0.05.

  • FIG 3
    FIG 3

    The humoral response to an rDnaK protein. Each value represents the mean log-transformed relative antibody level (RAL) for the group of cats, and error bars indicate the standard error. Time point 0 represents the preinfection value (mean RALs from time points −14, −7, and 0). *, statistically significant difference between the two groups at PMWU < 0.05. The threshold represents seropositive status in group A de novo-infected cats.

  • FIG 4
    FIG 4

    Percentage of change from preinoculation of Th1-type cytokines IL-12-p35 (A), IL-12p40 (B), and IFN-γ (C) over the course of the experiment for groups A (■) and B (▲). Each value represents the mean result for the group, and error bars represent the standard error. Time point 0 represents the preinoculation value (mean from time points −14, −7, and 0). *, statistically significant difference between the two groups at PMWU < 0.05; **, significance at PMWU < 0.01.

  • FIG 5
    FIG 5

    Percentage of change from preinoculation of Th2-type cytokines IL-4 (A) and IL-10 (B) over the course of the experiment for groups A (■) and B (▲). Each value represents the mean result for the group, and error bars represent the standard error. Time point 0 represents the preinoculation value (mean from time points −14, −7, and 0). *, statistically significant difference between the two groups at PMWU < 0.05; **, significance at PMWU < 0.01.

  • FIG 6
    FIG 6

    Percentage of change from preinoculation of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 (A), and TNF-α (B) over the course of the experiment for groups A (■) and B (▲). Each value represents the mean result for the group, and error bars represent the standard error. Time point 0 represents the preinoculation value (mean from time points −14, −7, and 0). *, statistically significant difference between the two groups at PMWU < 0.05.

  • FIG 7
    FIG 7

    Ratios of IL-4 to IL-12p35 mRNA (A) and IL-4 to IFN-γ mRNA (B) in groups A (■) and B (▲) over the course of the study. Mean log-transformed values are plotted, and error bars represent the standard error.

Tables

  • TABLE 1

    Statistical analysis of each test variable for the two groups in this study

    Test variableCat groupStatistical analysis for any significant difference in variable over time (PFriedman value)Day(s) p.i. with significant differences (PWilcoxon*) from preinoculation levelsa
    M. haemofelis rDnaK ELISAAχ2 = 82.859 (<0.001)24, 28, 31, 35, 38, 42, 45, 49, 56, 63, 70, 77, 84
    BNSbNot performed
    IL-12p35 mRNAAχ2 = 51.741 (<0.001)24, 31, 38, 45, 49, 84
    Bχ2 = 31.624 (0.007)17, 31, 45, 49
    IL-12p40 mRNAAχ2 = 35.082 (0.002)1, 3, 10, 24, 31, 38, 45
    BNSNot performed
    IFN-γ mRNAANSNot performed
    BNSNot performed
    IL-4 mRNAAχ2 = 35.100 (0.002)2, 63, 84
    Bχ2 = 26.382 (0.034)24, 31, 77
    IL-10 mRNAAχ2 = 52.094 (<0.001)17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 56, 63, 70
    Bχ2 = 27.159 (0.027)56
    IL-6 mRNAANSNot performed
    BNSNot performed
    TNF-α mRNAAχ2 = 28.200 (0.020)
    Bχ2 = 29.382 (0.014)24, 49, 84
    IL-4/IL-12p35 mRNAAχ2 = 48.371 (<0.001)31, 38, 45, 49, 63, 70, 84
    Bχ2 = 34.2 (0.003)49, 56, 77
    IL-4/IFN-γ mRNAAχ2 = 29.576 (0.014)56, 63, 70
    Bχ2 = 25.129 (0.048)63
    B220+Aχ2 = 54.706 (<0.001)3, 24, 31, 63, 70, 77, 84
    Bχ2 = 31.624 (0.007)77, 84
    CD8+Aχ2 = 49.288 (<0.001)24, 63, 70, 77
    Bχ2 = 30.476 (0.010)
    CD4+Aχ2 = 46.271 (<0.001)24, 31, 38, 45
    BNSNot performed
    CD4+ CD25+Aχ2 = 36.918 (0.001)49, 70, 77, 84
    Bχ2 = 28.588 (0.018)38, 45, 70, 84
    CD5+ MHC-II+Aχ2 = 49.624 (<0.001)24, 38, 45, 63, 70, 77
    BNSNot performed

    • ↵a Blood samples for cytokines and flow cytometry were collected on days 1, 2, 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 49, 56, 63, 70, 77, and 84 p.i. Only those values that were significant at PFriedman < 0.05 were subjected to the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. * indicates z = −2.023 and PWilcoxon = 0.043. Numbers in boldface indicate a significant increase in comparison to preinoculation levels, while numbers not in boldface indicate a significant decrease in comparison to preinoculation levels.

    • ↵b NS, no significant difference.

Back to top
Download PDF
Citation Tools
Print

Email

Related Articles

Cited By...